Ladder.



PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

P. P. WAGNER.

LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1904.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

avwwl/Coz P7 Z1 Eff/162 No. 769,419. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. P. P. WAGNER.

LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1904.

NO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented September 6, 1904..

PETER F. i/VAGNER, OF GARFIELD, OHIO.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,419, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed April 22, 1904.

To all whom it TIMLZ/ concern/.-

Be it known that I, PETER F. "AGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garfield, in the county of Mahoning, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ladders, and more particularly to extensionladders, and has for its object to provide a ladder which may be used as an unsupported ladder against the walls of buildings and which will be adjustable to different lengths and which may also be used as a self-supporting ladder which will be so arranged that it may be used on stairs or other uneven surfaces and which will be so constructed that slipping of the parts will be impossible.

In the drawings forming a portion ofv the specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ladder in its self-supporting position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ladder extended. Fig. 3 is a section on line3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a front view of Fig. 2, showing the holding means disengaged.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a ladder comprising two sections 5 and 6, which are pivotally connected at their upper ends by means of straps 7, secured to one side to the side portion of the section 6 and at the other end pivoted to the upper ends of the side portions 8 and 9 of the section 5. In this way the section 6 is arranged for movement to bring its free end into engagement with the ground to form a support for the section 5 and for movement also to extend upwardly from the section 5 with the edges of its side portions lying against the forward edges of the side portions 8 and 9, as shown. The side portions 8 and 9 of the section 5 are connected by means of steps 10 in the usual manner.

The section 6 includes two sections 11 and 12, each comprising side portions 13 and 14 and connecting-rungs 15, the side portions of Serial No. 204,446. (No model.)

the section 12 being disposed upon the outer edges of the side portions of the section 11 and connected thereto for sliding movement by means of straps 16 and 17 and 16 and 17', the straps 16 and 17 being secured to the outer faces of the side portions of the section 12 and having their free ends bent around the side portions of the section 11, while the straps 16 and 17' are secured to these side portions and are bent around the side portions of the section 12 in asimilar manner. Free sliding movement of the section 12 upon the section 11 is thus permitted, while separation of the two sections is prevented.

The outer edges of the side portions of the section 11 are provided with a plurality of transverse dovetail notches 18, and pivoted to the upper ends of the side portions of the sections 12 are the spaced angular end portions 19 and 20 of a bail 21, which extends trans- 7 versely of the section 6. The dovetail notches 18 at opposite sides of the section 11 aline in pairs, and with the alining pairs of notches may be engaged the bail 21 to prevent movement of the section 12 with respect to the section 11. It will thus be apparent that the section 6 of the ladder may be lengthened or shortened, as desired, to compensate for unevenness in the surface upon which the ladder is used when the section 6 acts as a support for the section 5, it being also understood that when this section forms a continuation of the section 5 it may be lengthened or shortened to vary the length of the ladder.

\Vhen it is desired to adjust the sections 11 5 and 12 with respect to each other, the bail 21 is moved out of engagement with the notches 18 and lies against the outer edges of the side portions of the section 12, so as to be entirely out of the way during the adjusting opera- 9 tion, and when the section 6 has been extended or shortened to the desired length the bail 21 is again moved into engagement with a pair of the notches 18 to prevent movement of the section with respect to each other. As '95 shown in the drawings, the bail 21 extends beyond the upper ends of the section 12 and may be moved into engagement with the notches 18 interchangeably, as described above, and by reason of the fact that the bail extends be- I00 yond the end of the section 12 any weight upon the section 11 when the ladder is in the position shown in Fig. 1 tends to move the bail upon its pivot and to force the upper ends of the section 12 away from the section 11, so that the straps 16, 17 16,'and 17' bind tightly against the side of the sections 11 and 12 to prevent slipping thereof and to relieve the downwardly strain upon the bail.

hat is claimed is- 1. A ladder comprising a section, a second section pivoted to the first section for movement into position to form a support therefor, or toi'orm a continuation thereof and including two slidably-cOnnected supplemental sections, each comprising side portions and connecting-rungs, one of said supplemental sections having notches in the edges of its side portions, and the remaining supplemental section having a bail pivoted thereto and movable into and out of engagement with the notches interchangeably to hold the supplemental sections at difierent points of their sliding movement when the second section is in either of its positions.

2. A ladder comprising a section, a second section pivoted to the first section and arranged ior movement into position to form a support therefor, or to form a continuation thereof, and comprising two slidably-connected supplemental sections, each including side portions and connecting-rungs, the side portions of one of said sections being disposed upon those of the other, the latter having notches in the outer edges of its side portions, said notches alining in pairs, and a bail having angular end portions pivoted to the ends of the first-named supplemental section, said said supplemental sections bail being arranged for movement into engagement at times with the alining pairs of notches interchangeably to prevent movement of the supplemental sections with respect to each other when the second section is in either of its positions, and at times to lie against the outer edges of the side portions of the first-named supplemental section.

3. A ladder comprising a section, a second section pivoted to the first section for movement into position to forms. support therefor or to form a continuation thereof and including two slidably-connected supplemental sections, each comprising side portions and connectingrungs, the side portions of one of being disposed upon those of the other, the latter having notches in the outer edges of its side portions, said notches alining in pairs, a yoke attached to each side portion of each section and engaged with the side portions of the other section, and a bail pivoted at its ends to the ends of the first-mentioned supplemental section and extending beyond the end of said section, said bail being arranged for engagement interchangeably with the alining pairs of the notches to prevent movement of the supplemental sections with respect 'to each other and to hold the supplemental sections at different points of their sliding movement when the second section is in either of its positions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' PETER F. WAGNER.

Witnesses:

H. R. EWING, E. L. HAMMOND. 

